Milk can support



H. J. EASTON Dec. 16, 1952 Filed Oct. 27, 1947 N R m MS. m m U- N i A L R H Y. 8%

ATTOFZNF Y Patented Dec. 16, 1952 UNITED STATES EATENT QFFICE MILK CAN sUrrorr-r Harlan J. Easton, Blooming eras-re, Minn. Apps-lemon October 27, remedial No. 782,362 4 Claims. (oi s it-s11) This invention relates generally to theclas-sof supports or hanger devices and is directed particularly to an improvedhanger designed for use in supporting a receptacle of the nature of a milk can.

The present invention is directed-particularly to an improved means for supporting a-milk can in a spring house and a principalobject of the invention is to provide a support which isso designed that the can can-be hung thereon from one of the handles at the side'thereof and held so that it will not rise with the suppo'rting water and become disengaged or detached fronr the holder.

A further object of the invention is'to'provide a can holder of the character stated wherein a means is provided not only for engaging-a handle of the canbut for also engaging the lip of the can mouth whereby to preventthecan floating and assuming a position on its side in the event that the supporting water in which the can is located should rise above a predetermined level.

Still another object ofthe invention is to provide a can holder of the characterstat'edwhich is designed so that it may" be economically produced without the sacrifice of-strength or efficiency;

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed'des'cription taken in connectionwith-the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, with the understanding; however, that the invention is not to be limited to the exact details of construction shownanddes'cribed since obvious modifications will occur't'o-a person skilled in the art.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view illustrating the application or" a can holder constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention showing a portion of a cooling tank in section and a milk can therein and partially in section.

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of the milk can holder per se.

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of a modified embodiment of the holder.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the can holder of the present invention comprises two spaced parallel side plates each of which is generally designated l and has a lower end or bottom portion II which merges with an upstanding hook or bill terminus l2. This terminus or bill 12 forms the forward part of a hook and is spaced from the forward or front edge 13 of the plate, as shown, to provide the 2 space [4 in which is engaged a handle of a milk can;

The forw'ard'edgeof each plate lfljis turned QVel. or rolled to givestrength or rigidity to the plate. This forward edge It extends upwardly and inwardly or rearw'ar'dly and then outwardly toform the notch or depression it which is locatedillst below the't-op edge of the plate. T-h edge portion of the wall leading into; this notch or depressio'n' I5 is substantially;straight for apart of its length as indicated at [5a and above thebottom-part ofthe notch {5 the edge isalso'straight as indicated at- 15b, such straight portion lib forming a shoulder for the purpose hereinafter described. V g p h g Y I The back edge of each ofthesp aced plates is defined ;by the inwardly directed right angularly extending flange It and these flanges are connected together at the top and bottom ends of the-g-plates [0 by the relatively wide transversely extending back wall: forming strips ll. 'Ihe strips-ll may be spot welded or secured in any other desired manner to the flanges It. The

. flanges may be turned to their angular position with rel;ation"to the plates lll before the back strips I! are securedthereto or the side plates may be first spot welded to the back strips or plates li'and thenbentto the required angular position so that they will extend forwardlyfrom the back strips IT, in spaced parallel relation.

Apertureslt are provided to receive securing screws or nails 19 to hold the can support or holderin mounted position. v v I Secured on the vertical center of theholder at the' top thereoflas, for example, at 2;}, is a flat bow spring 2! which extends forwardly and downwardly to a position between the lower ends of the hooks [2. This spring is in line With the spaces 14 whereby when the handle of the milk can is engaged behind the hook bills, across the space between them, it will press against the spring and be firmly held in position.

In order to add strength and rigidity to the structure, a reinforcing or bracing bar 22 is disposed across between the ends of the bill l2 and secured thereto.

In use of the device, the same is secured by the screws I9 in the upper part of the cooling tank or to the wall of a spring house, in which the milk cans are placed.

Figure 1 shows the application of the invention, wherein a milk can is shown and generally designated 23 and the approximate level of the water in which the can is partially submerged, is designated 2 As shown, when the can is mounted on the holder, one of the two handles 25 thereof is engaged behind the hook bills l2 in the spaces [4 and when so engaged it bears against the lower part of the spring 2|. The lip portion 26 of the can is positioned in the notch or cut-out l5 and the top part of the lip bears against the edge or shoulder 151).

It will be readily seen that if the can is well filled it will sink down into the water, but if it is only partially filled it will have a tendency to float or rise to the surface. In the latter case, unless a means is provided for preventing the can rising to the position where it will be substantially on its side, the contents will escape. With the present holder this action is prevented by reason of the fact that the lip of the can presses upwardly against the shoulder portion I5b of the notch or recess l5 and the spring 2| forces the handle forwardly so that it is pressed against the books 12 and thus securely maintained in position.

While the device has been described as consisting of individual side plates or units [0 connected by transversely extending top and bottom back plates I1, it may also be formed from a single sheet of metal as shown in Figure 3. In this showing of the second or modified embodiment the device, generally designated 21, comprises in a single piece, the solid back wall 28 having the angularly turned side plate portions 29 which correspond to the portions I0. These side portions 29 have their forward edges formed in the same manner as the plates ID, that is, the lower parts of the portions 29 are cut out or shaped to provide the hooks 30 while the upper end of each portion 29 is suitably contoured to provide the recesses or notches 3| corresponding to the notches I5. The hooks are connected by the reinforcing bar 32 and the back wall plate has secured to the forward face thereof the outwardly and downwardly curving leaf spring 33 which functions in the same manner as the spring 2|.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that there is provided in the present invention a novel can holder or support which will function as described to maintain a milk can in the proper position in the cooling tank or spring house, and which is of such design that it may be economically produced.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a support for milk cans having side handles and an annular lipped cover, comprising a. pair of elongate plates interconnected in spaced parallel relation and disposed vertically in use, said plates having identical cut away portions to form upwardly opening, forwardly extending hooks adjacent to their lower ends, said hook forming openings each being defined by a rearwardly directed edge, an opposing forwardly directed vertical edge and an intermediate upwardly directed edge connecting the rearwardly and forwardly directed edges, said rearwardly directed edges of the hooks being cut out to form rearwardly opening recesses, the said forwardly directed edges extending slightly above the said rearwardly directed edges and merging with forwardly opening V-notches having upwardly and rearwardly inclined lower portions and upwardly and forwardly inclined upper portions, said last named portions providing shoulders at an elevation above said hooks to have the lipped portion of said cover rest thereagainst when one of said handles is engaged in the said recesses of said hooks.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, with a bar extending between and interconnecting the free end portions of the bills of said hooks to prevent lateral displacement of either one of them with respect to the other.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1, with said plates having their rear side edges oppositely and inwardly flanged, and a strip extending between and connecting said flanges at their uppe and lower ends.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1, with the free ends of the bills of said hooks formed to provide circular enlargements the inner edge portions of which overlie the said engaged handle of the milk can, and a spring element mounted medially between said plates and adapted to bear against the inner side of said handle to forcibly hold the same against the inner side edges of the hook bills below the overlying edge portions of said enlargements.

HARLAN J. EASTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,272,265 Horn July 9, 1918 1,454,662 Wilbur May 8, 1923 1,623,392 Davidson Apr. 5, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 16,966 Great Britain Aug. 23, 1901 103,515 Austria June 10. 1926 

